Density tester



Patented Nov; 2.8, i922.,

OFFICE.

DENSITY TESTER.

Application iled September 13, 1921.

Serial N0. 500,458.

(FILED UNDER THE ACT 0F MARCH 3, 1883, 22 STAT. L., 625.)

10 aZZ whom t may concern Be it known that I, S'rrLns T. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States of America, and an employee of the Department ot Agriculture, residing in Tallulah, Louisiana (whose post-oiiice address is Southern Field Crop Insect Laboratory, Bureau of Entomology, United States Department ot' Agriculture, Tallulah, Louisiana), have invented a new and useful Density Tester.

This application is made under the act of March 3, 1883, chapter 143 (2Q Stat., 625), and the invention herein described and claimed may be used by the Government of the United States, its oiiicers and employees, and by any person in the United States either in public or private work without payment to me of any royalty thereon. l hereby dedicate the same to the Jfree use of the Government and the people of the United States.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 represents a sectional view of the density tester and Figure 2 represents a top view of the gauge.

Referring to the drawing, a represents a base ot wood or other suitable material; Z9 is a. single acting air pump of the type used to inflate pneumatic tires. This pump has a plunger of a standard type with the addition of shock absorbing springs, c located above and below the top plate of the cylinder. Pump ZJ is attached rigidly to base a; CZ is a tube for the discharge of air from pump b into connection e. Connection e has upward opening check valve and is rigidly attached to base a. Attached to discharge side of e is a tube 7 closed at its upper end by pointed cap g, and having drilled through it several pairs of small holes Zt, these holes being the exit for air driven from pump Z) through tube CZ; i is a Acylindrical container of suitable material having a thimble y' attached to its base, the thimble y' being made with a free running lit on tube f. Attached to the upper end of cylinder 'Z is a band k of cone frustum form. The cylinder has a removable cover made of a piece of cloth Z or other suitable material stretched over a heavy ring m and held by a clamping ring a. A gauge is composed ot a body 0, having a sliding crossbar p which is held 1n position by spring clamp Q. The gauge body is engraved with suitable graduating marks r.

The method of operating the density tester i is as follows:

A weighed quantity of powder to be tested is placed in container z'. The cover Z is then placed over container. are made with the plunger ot pump b, care being' exercised to avoid jarring the apparatus. The cylinder z' is rotated through a small angle after each stroke of the pump.

The jets of air discharged laterally through holes ZL completely break up the dust lumps and the upward passage of the escaping air carries the dust level upward 'to a maximum iui'liness for a specified method of pumping. The top surface of the powder may be leveled by a few easy strokes of the pump after the luiiing is complete.

Cover Z is removed, and gauge 0 is inserted in container 11, the lower edge of the crossbar j) resting on the edges of Za. Gauge body o is pressed downward until its lower end is in contact with the top surface of the powder and the graduations are such that the unit volumes per unit of weight are read directly at lower edge of crossbar y?. After reading, the container e' is lifted from tube f and the tested powder poured out.

I claim:

An apparatus of the character described, a base, supporting thereon an air pump and a cylinder which are connected together by a pipe, said cylinder open at one end and being adapted to receive powder, and being provided with means for closing the top, and with a tube having openings in the sides, its upper end being closed and the lower end being open and connected with the opening in the aforesaid pipe.

STYLES T. HOWARD.

Vigorous strokes 

